Discaya pleads not guilty in P96.5-M ‘ghost’ project case
CEBU CITY—Public works contractor Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya pleaded not guilty to graft and malversation charges stemming from an alleged P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
She entered her plea during arraignment before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City on Tuesday morning.
Discaya was arraigned alongside Maria Roma Rimando, president of Discaya-owned St. Timothy Construction, and eight officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who are also facing charges.
The case involves a flood control project in Davao Occidental that investigators said was paid for with public funds despite having been only partially completed or not implemented at all.
Documents were processed and payments released as if the project had been properly carried out, resulting in the alleged misuse of funds amounting to P96.5 million.
Prosecutors accused Discaya and the others conspiring to approve, fund, and release payments for the questioned project in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and laws on malversation of public funds.
High-profile case
At the start of the proceedings, RTC Branch 27 presiding judge Nelson Leyco denied the motions to quash the information and the motion to transfer the accused back to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation, which were filed by the defense counsels of Discaya, Rimando, and the DPWH officials.
Defense lawyers sought a deferment of the arraignment, saying they needed time to study the court’s ruling. However, Leyco denied the request.
All the accused denied the accusations and maintained their innocence.
The court set the pretrial conference for Feb. 3, where issues will be defined and evidence marked ahead of the trial.
The case is among several high-profile prosecutions involving alleged irregularities in government infrastructure projects.
In December last year, Discaya and the eight DPWH officials surrendered to the NBI amid impending warrants for their arrest.
The Office of the Ombudsman initially filed the charges against Discaya with the Digos Regional Trial Court. The case was later transferred to the RTC in Lapu-Lapu City.
Upon the issuance of the arrest warrants, they were committed and turned over to the Lapu-Lapu City Jail on Dec. 19, after being briefly held at the NBI detention facility in Muntinlupa City.
